2,1,18,5,6,5220
by midsummerwriter
Summary: What is it? he asked impatiently. It's the other hand. God, there was a long pause. This guy is crazy!GSR 18 The End?
1. Chapter 1

Title: 2,1,18,5,6,5(2)20. 

Author: Dani

Summary: Sara gets stalked. Before you dismiss it though it has an actual plot and case work.

Disclaimers: Isn't that enough? No? Fine, I don't own CSI.

A/N: I wrote this way before Nesting Dolls, and before Sofia, so if you ignore that and Grave Danger 1 & 2 and well everything after that…um...yeah

Oh and I don't have a beta, I have a really bad track record with betas but if I make too many mistakes tell me and I'll get one.

* * *

"Well, goodnight." Sara smiled nervously at her date. 

Rick Summer appeared just as awkward as she felt, he nodded shoving him hands deep into his jeans pockets as he waited for his chance for the goodnight kiss or better; 'night cap'.

She took in his light brown hair, fitting casual sweater that accented his toned form, and his American Eagle jeans. He was cute. Sighing she knew he was nothing like what or rather who she really wanted.

"Um, yeah. So…" He looked disappointed but slightly hopeful.

"So…" she opened her door then turned to him, "Um, it was a good night."

He swayed on his heals, then took a chance and leaned in.

Sara watched him move closer, her heart hammering in her chest. His lips were soft on hers. He kept kissing her long enough for his hands to make their way to her upper arms, gently touching the skin before backing up.

He smiled boyishly, looking very much like a high school boy after his first date and making Sara smiled despite herself.

"'Night then." He said letting his hands drop back to his side. He backed up onto the walkway not yet turning around. He stopped just before she disappeared behind her door, "Can I call you sometime?"

Sara paused, smiling and biting her bottom lip.

"Sure." She closed the door and rested against it before heading to her bedroom.

--------------

Sara signed her name on the sign-in sheet and was about to walk away when the receptionist stopped her,

"Oh, Ms. Sidle. Here this came for you today." the young woman held up a manila envelope addressed 'Miss Sidle' in black maker.

Sara accepted the package wondering who it could be from. She thought about her date last night and thought it could have come from him. She shifted it in her hands, it was heavy for just a note or letter. Shrugging she went right for the break room to get a mug of coffee.

She tossed the envelope on the table and went about fixing her drink, she paid no attention to Catherine and Warrick as they came in until the older woman spoke.

"So how was the date last night?"

Sara turned around, eyeing her co-workers.

"How'd you know I was on a date?" she asked knowing she didn't tell anyone considering the last date she told Warrick about Catherine put a severed finger in a glass and handed it to her.

"You never volunteer a night off." Catherine answered.

"And there's no denying it now." Warrick replied his blue eyes sparkling with humour.

Half smiling she set down her mug on the table.

"Fine." She paused embarrassed that she was going to humour them with a reply. "It was nice." She shrugged and busied herself with opening her letter.

She held it at the bottom after ripping the top, it was top heavy and the contents spilled out onto the table.

Glossy 8 by 12 black and white photos slid across the surface of the table and Sara looked from the pictures of her going about her day to her co-workers. They were both looking at the table.

No one said anything; Catherine pulled out a glove form her jacket pocket and slid it on. She asked Sara's permission with her eyes to shift through the pictures. The brunette nodded holding her breath and expecting the worst.

Fifteen snap shots looked up at them; Sara coming out of her home, getting into her car, into the police department, grocery store and the rest of Sara on her date…two different dates.

Sara's face flushed when she saw the last five photos of her before, during and after the kiss last night.

Warrick let out a low whistle, showing his obvious distaste for the situation.

Sara glanced nervously, not the same nervousness that was captured in black and white on the table, to Catherine and Warrick.

"We should get these to…" she started but didn't finish.

"Jackie for prints." Catherine tried.

"No." Warrick interjected, "I'll do the prints then I'll take them to Archie, swearing him to secrecy." He went with Sara's terrified expression. "We don't need the entire lab finding out. Besides this could just be a sick prank." He half smiled, not really believing what he was saying about the pictures being a prank, hoping to relieve Sara a bit.

Sara nodded at his suggestion suddenly feeling like she lost her voice.

Catherine too looked lost, then snapped out of it, moving around the table to stand next to Sara. She placed her hands on Sara's shoulders to offer comfort as Warrick collected the photos and envelope.

"It's okay. This is our little secret." Catherine said rubbing warmth into Sara's chilled arms.

Sara inhaled deeply, nodding still.

"Yeah." She replied breathlessly. Her heart thumped loudly, making her wonder if Catherine could hear it. She inhaled shallow once, twice then found it hard to breathe. "I-  
I- can't…"

Catherine tightened her hold as Sara began to slip through to the floor. She struggled to get the brunette into Grissom's office without everyone seeing.

TBC…

I would like at least one review before I post the next chapter, please.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimers are in the first chapter.

Thanks to my first three reviewers, GScrasy, odeepblue and Tessa.

* * *

Sara gained consciousness minutes later with Catherine kneeling next to the couch. She glanced around seeing bugs in jars and other strange things she realised she was in Grissom's office.

"There you are." Catherine smiled at the younger woman; she reached up and smoothed Sara's hair in a motherly fashion. "There are other people we have to let in on our secret. Grissom should know and Brass, he'll be pissed if we don't tell him."

Sara pulled herself up so she was sitting and facing Catherine then rubbed her eyes.

"No. It's fine, I'll be fine." She sighed. "We should get back to the break room, wait for assignments." She tired to get up but Catherine held her down.

"No, Grissom will be here any minute. I told him already and he doesn't want you out in the field." Catherine spoke quietly and slow so Sara would have to pay attention if she wanted to hear what the older woman had to say. When Catherine was finished Sara brushed the other woman's hands away and got up.

"No! I'm not going to be boxed in just because of some pictures." She staggered not quite steady on her feet. "Warrick said they could just be a sick joke."

"He just said that to make you feel better. This could be very serious; you know how it can be." Catherine tried not to talk to Sara like a child but she couldn't help it coming out slightly maternal.

"Yes, I do. And that should be enough. I'm not in this blind." She spun around to find Grissom on the threshold of his office.

The look on his face told her to stay quiet, but she wasn't going to.

"How could you?" she set her jaw and levelled her gaze.

"How could I not?" he kept his voice level while holding out copies of her photos. The picture on top was of Sara and her date kissing.

A pang of guilt hit her hard, and she felt a blush rising to her face. She really didn't want him to see her kissing another man and felt like explaining herself. Explain how she didn't want to kiss her date, and how she only smiled to be polite after.

She sighed, her hands slapping her thighs in frustration and looked away from Grissom's searching stare.

"It's not that serious. Sure, he followed me around, knows where I live but," she took the photos and flipped through them, "These aren't graphic."

"Yet." He replied calmly.

Catherine was stuck. She wanted to agree with Grissom but at the same time she knew what cooping Sara up would do to the younger woman even though it would be only for a little while.

"Do you know if anything was out of order in your home?" she asked as an after thought.  
Sara turned to Catherine, looking at her as if she forgot she was still in the room,

"I-uh-no. Not off hand." She shook her head. She thought about what the other woman asked going over her morning. Locked bathroom window, patio door closed with the wood stick across the bottom, front door bolted…. nothing…"No." she concluded.

"Fine. Brass will do a search of your house for any surveillance equipment or devices. Are you sure nothing was out of place; your keys maybe?" Grissom asked, handing Catherine assignment sheets and signalling for her to hand them out.

Sara watched Catherine leave as she spoke.

"No. I just toss them on the counter, I don't memorise the exact position where they landed." she tried to keep the sarcasm out of her tone but failed.

Grissom ignored it.

"So it's possible that he entered your house while you were taking a shower, took your keys, copied them then put them back?"

"That's pretty ballsie. What if I wasn't taking a shower?"

Grissom tilted his head and removed his glasses before speaking.

"You know that stalkers study their victims. They know all of their habits and their routine even if the victim doesn't know it's a routine."

Sara shivered involuntarily. She knew he was right, her stalker could have come in her home while she was sleeping, showering, naked…

"Okay fine. But I'm not going to stay home while an armed guard sits in his car."

"Then you won't. You will work in the lab, you will not be alone at anytime. If you need something from your car send someone else but don't give your keys to anyone unfamiliar. I'll have my cell phone on and pager. Don't leave the lab until I get back."

She watched him for a full minute waiting for something but not knowing what. When he didn't way anything else she brushed past him and went back to the break room.

Her coffee mug was still where she left it. She took the cold cup into her hands and went to the sink and washed it out. She was just about to turn around when Nick stuck his head in the room,

"Sara!"

She almost dropped her mug but caught it in time.

"Oh, hey Nicky. What's up?" she smiled hoping to cover her jumpiness. It worked.

"I got a hot one. I could use an extra hand, wanna come?" he grinned largely waving his assignment sheet in the air.

She shrugged.

"Sorry, man. I've been grounded. I can help you out in here though."

Nick's shoulders slumped with his disappointment and he frowned showing his concern.

"Do you want me to talk to him? Ask him to hold off the grounding until another night?"

She smiled at his sweetness,

"Naw, it's cool. I promise I'll help you out on your next big one." She shrugged and smiled bigger when he looked a little doubtful.

"Okay." He shrugged. "Explains why Greg got a solo. If he gets really good, we might not need you anymore." He grinned.

"I highly doubt that, Nicky. See you later."

"Yeah. Definitely." She watched him walk down the hall through the glass walls before fixing another cup of coffee and searching for Warrick.

TBC…

part three brings a note...tell what you think...


	3. Chapter 3

See part one for legalities. Still unbeta-ed, unfortunately.

As for the title; if you figure it out I'll give you two chapters today. Here it is again 2,1,18,5,6,5(2)20. I guess ff didn't like my brackets.

* * *

Archie didn't look up when Sara came into his room behind him. All around her was black and white pictures of her.

"Hey." She spoke softly announcing her presence. The techie raised his head and titled his head in a silent apology. "Don't look at me like that." She said then regretted it, "Nothings wrong. I'm fine." She assured him. "What did you get from my pics anyway?"

Archie glanced back down at the photos, the top one was the juiciest one of them all.

"Besides budding romance?" he joked to lighten the mood. "Not much. These are standard. Home developed that much I can tell. As for anything else; there's nothing special about them."

Sara nodded.

"Have they been printed yet?"

"No. Warrick asked me to look these over then page him when I'm done. I suppose you could take them to him. Or just do it yourself." He replied handing over the pile of photos.

"You know? I might just do that." She rolled her eyes, "Grissom's got me grounded."

The sympathetic look came back and she let it slide.

"Yeah. So, thanks then." She bobbed her head and backed out of the room.

She couldn't find Warrick to do the finger printing so she decided to do it herself.

----------------------------

Grissom held the note in his hands. His glasses poised at the end of his nose like Santa only there was no merriment in his expression.

Warrick waited patiently until the older man was finished 'reading' the note before speaking.

"She isn't taking this seriously. Do we show her this?" he asked taking the note back and re-reading it.

9,22,5 2,5(2),14 23,1,20,3,8,9,14,7 21 6,15,18 1 23,8,9,12,5 14,15,23. 21,18 16,5,18,6,5,3,20,9,15,14 2,21,20 9,13 14,15,20 12,9,11,9,14,7 23,8,1,20 9,13 19,5(2),9,14,7

Grissom considered Warrick's question.

"Give her the note. We need to figure this out, maybe Sara knows what this is."

Warrick nodded.

"I'll copy it; send it through ESDA then give a copy to Sara while I check to see what else this guy might have written." He said leaving Grissom to his work.

After the young man left Grissom looked up from his desk, he could feel a headache coming on. The 'note' made no sense to him. He glanced down at the photos before him and studied the top one of Sara kissing her date. He wondered if that meant he was 'too late' and then he wondered why he still cared.

Grissom knew why he still cared but he didn't like it. He gave up his chance. He confessed to himself that he couldn't give up all the hard work he'd done for his career for her. And yet he still received the shit end of the stick from the Sheriff.

Yes he loved her, but he loved being a forensic scientist too.

He sat back in his chair and rubbed his tired eyes. He wasn't going anywhere.

Grissom supposed the cliché 'what I wouldn't give…' was a rhetorical question though if he could gave his girl and his career he would, however picking up the picture of Sara n' Guest he thought he might only just get his career.

-------------------------------

Warrick dropped the note on the table in front of Sara and waited as her eyes scanned over the numbers then glanced up at him across the table.

"Where'd that come from?" she looked backed down. "Better question: what is that?"

"It was inside the envelope, didn't fall out with the rest of the slide show. We don't know what it is. Grissom thought it might make sense to you." He leaned against the wall next to the door he just came through. "This guy is a nutcase; you could be in danger,"

Sara took the note in her hands and studied it.

"This could be nothing." she dropped it back on the table.

"It's hand written. He must have wanted you to see it." Warrick urged.

"Have you printed it yet?"

"No, I wanted to static it first, see what else could be on it."

"Copy it, I'll figure it out." She slid it over towards him.

Warrick leaned over the table, his soft blue eyes gazing into Sara's chocolate brown ones and she could see the concern.

"This is serious shit." He said in a low tone.

Sighing she deflated slightly.

"I know." She gestured to the pictures scattered on the table in front of her. "What am I supposed to do? Go into hiding?"

Warrick sighed then too.

"I don't know."

Grissom cleared his throat as he came in the room and stopped next to Sara.

"No, we need to flush this guy out. We can't do that if you disappear. This has to be done with minimal danger to you, so you can't be alone any time."

Sara felt her face flush with anger.

"I don't need babysitters. We went through this before when Culpepper wanted my help. I can take care of myself!"

Grissom pointed at her his hand mimicking a gun.

"Move and I'll shoot." He said in an even tone.

Sara set her jaw, tensed ready to strike and she almost reached his hand but he 'pulled the trigger.'

"Bang! You're dead."

Shaking her head she met his eyes.

"And how does that make a difference? If I'm alone it's just me. If I'm with Warrick we're both in danger."

He lowered his head seeing that he wasn't getting through to her.

"Four eyes are better than one. If you're both on the look out then there's a lesser chance of this guy getting close to you."

She looked to Warrick for support but he was nodding his agreement.

"And if he has a gun then he can shoot me form anywhere." She tried to explain her point but she knew she was fighting a losing battle. "Shit! This is crazy."

Grissom opened his mouth to reply but his cell phone cut him off.

"Grissom. Yes, Jim." He paused to listen, he straightened up and his eyes hardened. "I'll tell her. Um, hum… Okay… Make sure there is."

Sara waited until Grissom hung up giving him an apprehensive stare.

"Well?" she prompted.

"Jim found bugs and cameras." He paused debating telling her the rest.

"And? Where?"

"Kitchen, living room…bedroom, bathroom…"

Warrick watched Sara as Grissom spoke; he gave another low whistle, surprised at how calm she appeared. She nodded as if she were accepting information about a case instead of learning the extent of her violation.

"And is he broadcasting like satellite or tapping VCR?"

"VCR. Jim found tapes but there was nothing on them. He thinks this guy took the used tapes after you left for work." He answered.

"Okay. So there's no chance on tracking his equipment then?" Sara asked.

Grissom shook his head. He felt his own anger welling up inside. Someone he deeply cared about was being mentally raped and she wasn't showing a bit of emotion. He wanted so badly to grab her and shake her until she confessed that this violation at least bothered her or until she cried.

He thought she should cry.

"All right. I'll get back to printing, hopefully this guy slipped up here or wasn't smart enough. Warrick, you gonna get on the static?" she asked.

It took Warrick a moment to realize he was being addressed. He was too shocked from Sara's lack of reaction that it stunned him into silence.

"Uh, yeah." He said after finding himself. "I'll show you what I find." He mentally shook himself and left Sara alone with Grissom.

"What else did Brass say?" she asked knowing that the detective had said more than Grissom repeated.

"A locksmith is being sent over to change the locks. He said he would personally bring the keys over to you."

"And..?"

"And a guard will be posted outside your house." He finished fully expecting another angry blow out but he was taken back, like he had earlier by her lack of reaction, that she just shook her head in apparent disgust.

They stayed silent for a full minute before Grissom decided to leave and get back to the paper work he knew he couldn't put off any longer.

TBC…

have you figured out the title yet?


	4. Chapter 4

okay, I promised I'd post two chapters if someone figured out the title and they did! The story is still unbeta-ed but I'm in the process of getting a beta. And I did promise the next chapter, so if you can forgive any mistakes; here you go...

as for the meaning of the title, it will be explained much later...

* * *

Catherine found Grissom in his office on his desk, an arm draped over his eyes to block out any light. He had a headache, she realised from his prone position. 

"Take your pills?"

"Yes, it's starting to ebb." He made no move to look at his visitor.

"How's she doing?" Catherine asked not needing to elaborate.

"She's acting tough. Like this is an everyday occurrence."

Catherine shrug-nodded even though he didn't see her do it."Not surprised." She replied.

Nick poked his head in the door, a confused look on his face.

"Guys, what's up with Sara?"

Grissom sat up immediately. Catherine noticed his urgency with a bemused expression.

"Why?" he asked standing up and starting down the hallway to the lab he left Sara in.

"Well," Nick started, "I found something on her car, under the windshield wipers so I brought it to her. I came back to ask her if she wanted to help me on some trace evidence, she was crying." He explained as they reached the lab.

The tree CSI speared in and they say Sara clutching something to her chest and shaking visibly.

Catherine and Nick stopped just short of the door while Grissom went in and stood next to Sara. Nick gave Catherine a questioning glance and she cocked her head for him to follow her to the break room.

Grissom careful placed his hand on her shoulder,

"Honey?" he asked tentatively.

Sara sniffled handing him a new note but she continued to grip the new photos. He accepted the note after putting on gloves.

It read:

19,15 2,5,1,21,20,9,6,21,12. 19,15 16,5,18,6,5,2,20.

He knew it wasn't the note that upset her considering that they didn't know what the numbers were about. He glanced down at her; she was holding another set of pictures face in so he couldn't see the contents.

"What's in photos, Sara?"

He had to strain to hear her when she answered so quietly she sounded small.

"I don't want you to see."

Inhaling, he was glad she was finally taking the situation seriously though at the same time he was fucking pissed off that this demented soul had reduced her to a frightened child.

"They have to be processed. Do you want Catherine to do it?" his tone was soft and soothing not like before when he was just being calm.

Sara nodded wordlessly holding the pictures tighter.

"I'm going to go get her; will you be okay until I get back?"

"Yes." She answered in a watery voice.

Grissom reluctantly left hoping to find Catherine alone but when he found her she was sitting with Nick at the table and the young man was livid.

"What are we doing about this?" he asked just barely holding his anger in check.

"Everything we can." Catherine said trying to calm him down.

"Why didn't see tell me before I left? I would have known not to give her the envelope." He looked at up Grissom when he entered the room, "Can I go see her?"

Grissom shook his head,

"No." he turned to Catherine, shaking a bit with anger. "Sara's agreed to let you process the new pictures."

Catherine nodded, patted Nick on the arm and got up. She glanced at Grissom; she could see the hurt in his eyes. She could also see something else in his blue eyes; how much he loved Sara even if he couldn't see it himself…or maybe he could.

"Okay." She said and quickly fixed two mugs of coffee.

---------------------------

Catherine set down the mug on the table; she glanced at the nicely piled black and white pics freshly printed. A copy of the first note was set right in the middle of the table.

"Figured that out yet?" she asked.

Sara had stopped crying, her eyes were puffy and red. She still had a death grip on new set of photos and didn't let up when she answered.

"Hm. I thought it was my personal information, credit cards, social insurance, phone number but it doesn't follow any routine. It's not even mathematics. Then after staring at it for a while it started to look like sentences. I was just waiting for Grissom to get back before going to my locker to get my notebook." Her voice was still thick with mucus and she sniffled a few times.

Catherine took a better look at the numbers and saw what Sara was talking about.

"Well, I'll get started on the pictures if you want to work on that."

Sara nodded and reluctantly handed over the photos.

Catherine waited until Sara was out of the room before shuffling through the new pile. Her eyes widened in horror as she was clip after clip of Sara naked, showering and getting dressed in hazy colour. She wasn't there to hear about the cameras in Sara's home but she quickly figured the pictures were stills from video camera.

Sara came back; she was almost as white as a sheet except the redness of embarrassment when she saw Catherine looking through the pictures.

"Oh, Honey. I'm so sorry." Was all Catherine could think to say. She reached out and squeezed Sara's upper arm and Sara shrugged desperately trying to appear indifferent.

"I'm going to an empty lab to work on these." Catherine informed the younger woman.

"Okay, I'm, um, gonna get started here then I'll find Warrick to see how he's getting on." She replied dropping her notebook on the table.

Catherine left without another word. She wasn't sure what else to say, if there was anything else to say.

Sara, grateful, picked up the coffee with one hand and wrote down the alphabet with the other. After aligning the letters with 26 numbers she started on the translation.

9-I,22-V,5-E 2-B,5(2)E(2),14-N 23-W,1-A,20-T,3-C,8-H,9-I,14-N,7-G 21-U 6-F,15-  
O,18-R 1-A 23-W,8-H,9-I,12-L,5-E 14-N,15-O,23-W.  
21-U,18-R 16-P,5-E,18-R,6-F,5-E,3-C,20-T,9-I,15-O,14-N 2-B,21-U,20-T 9-I,13-M 14-  
N,15-O,20-T 12-L,9-I,11-K,9-I,14-N,7-G 23-W,8-H,1-I,20-T 9-I,13-M 19-S,5(2)E(2),9-  
I,14-N,7-G.

Taking the second note she did the same:

19-S,15-O 2-B,5-E,1-A,21-U,20-T,9-I,6-F,21-U,12-L 19-S,15-O 16-P,5-E,18-R,6-F,5-  
E,3-C,20-T

Sighing she picked up her work and pictures and went to find Warrick wondering with great anxiety what he might have found.

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

Okay, I'm having technical difficulties. I will have a beta soon, I hope. I just didn't want people to loose interestin my story so here's chapter five.

Oh and the notes will ,from now on, be written out in letters. I discovered while typing up my story that it takes way too long to type in all those numbers. So this is the last chapter with the numbers.

* * *

Warrick almost threw the papers across the room. He wasn't angry with the results…Well, he sort of was. 

"Watch it! You could give someone a fatal paper cut." Sara said from behind him.

Warrick laughed outright. It wasn't something he normally would have done but he was tense and he really needed to escape.

"Sorry, I'm just frustrated. It's all just numbers. What did he do; send you his math homework? I got it!" he smiled. "We're looking for a high school kid."

"Ha! No such luck." She handed over her notebook. "I figured it out."

"Thank God. Maybe you can make sense of this then." He picked the paper up off the floor and handed it over taking the notebook in return.

He read and re-read the note. All the laughter vanished from his face.

"These are from two notes." He met Sara's eyes. "When did the second one come?"

"Nick got it form my car and brought it up about thirty minutes ago." She admitted.

"Were there pictures too?" he asked knowing if he didn't ask she wouldn't volunteer the information.

Sara suddenly couldn't meet his gaze. He took her with two hands.

"What was in the pictures?" he urged.

"Me." She answered keeping her head down.

"Sara!" he said in a warning tone.

"Taking a shower, shaving my legs, changing before and…after work." She finished looking everywhere but at him.

"Damn, girl." He said pulling her into a one-arm hug. "We'll get him."

She gave him a crooked smile.

"Yeah." She freed herself and gestured with the note he gave her, "I'm gonna work on this. It'll take a while."

He nodded.

"I'm gonna get some coffee, you want some?"

"Naw, I just had some." She took back her notebook and flipped to a new page. She sat down at the counter and copied down the numbers:

9,22,5 ,2,5(2),14 23,1,20,3,8,9,14,7 8,5,18 13,15,14,20,8,19 11,14,15,23 9 12,15,22,5 8,5,18 2,21,20 19,8,5 19,13,9,12,5,4 18,4,1,25.  
9 23,15,14,4,5,18 23,8,1,20 19,8,5 23,15,21,12,4 19,1,15 9,6 9 8,5,18?  
9 12,15,22,5 20,8,5 23,1,25 8,5,18 8,19,18 3,21,18,12,5,19 7,5,20,19 8,21,13,9,4 9 2,5,20 8,5,18 23,1,19 23,8,5,14 19,8,5 23,1,19 25,15,21,14,7,5,18. 9 8,5 23,1,19 1 6,15,24 9,14 8,9,7,8 19,3,8,15(2),12. 9 16,18,1,25 15,14,5 4,1,25 19,8,5,12(2) 5 12,9,11,5 9 12,15,22,5 8,5,18

And over that in large numbers as if scribbled like a quick reminder:

9 23,1,14,20 8,5,18!

Going through and aligning the numbers with letter she came up with half sentences:

I'VE BE(2)N WATCHING HER FOR MONTHS…KNOW I LOVE HER BUT SHE SMILED…RDAY.  
I WONDER WHAT SHE WOULD SAY IF I…HER?  
I LOVE THE WAY HER HAIR CURLES…GETS HUMID. I BET HER HAIR WAS…WHEN SHE WAS YOUNGER. I…HE WAS A FOX IN HIGH SCHO(2)L. I PRAY ONE DAY SHEL(2)…E LIKE I LOVE HER.

And then:

I LOVE HER

Sara read over the message. It wasn't like the other notes. This wasn't addressed to her like the others. Pondering this she decided this was a passage out of a journal or diary. She snatched up her new note and went to the break room.

She found Warrick with his head in a fresh cup of coffee. She sat down next to him at the table and handed over her translation.

"We're missing parts: '…KNOW I LOVE HER' maybe 'she doesn't?' Looks like he cut your page out of his book." He thought about the rest then filled it in. "'AT ME YESTERDAY' I don't know what he wants to do here. He says you've seen him."

"Yes but that could be millions of people. I could have been smiling at anyone and he though it was him I was looking at."

"Yeah. '…WHEN IT GETS HUMID.' 'I BET SHE WAS A FOX!' I bet you were." He smiled.

She gave him a bemused look,

"I'm done with this." She stood up. "I'm gonna go find Catherine. She's processing my nuddy shots."

Warrick decided not to laugh at that.

"All right. If you don't need me, I'm gonna go help out Nick."

"Sure, later then."

TBC…

up next Brass comes back with some news...


	6. Chapter 6

I have a beta! I'm so excited, no more worrying about looking stupid becuase I can't spell! Yeah, I'm cool. I know. And having said that, all mistakes are mine. Thank you sovery much to Tessa for betaing.

Here's part six or eighteen...Yeah, this is a nice lengthy story.

* * *

Sara knocked before coming up behind Catherine. The older woman quickly piled all the processed photos together then stopped when she saw that it was Sara.

"Oh, hey. Covering you up." She explained, "Didn't think you wanted Greg to see these."

"I could give 'em to him. It's that or burn them." Sara said and tried to smile but it came out more like a grimace. "I'll burn 'em." She decided nodding. She leaned on the table looking over the pictures Catherine didn't hide. "Did you get any prints?"

"A partial, I'll send it through AFIS if I can't get anything better. Note book?" she gestured to the note book in Sara's hands, "Finished translating?"

"Yeah, Warrick got me a whole page of numbers." She handed over the note book and waited as Catherine read all three different passages.

"So what does this mean? Who writes like this? Is it supposed to be code?"

"I don't think it was supposed to be a code, not if he wanted me to figure it out. I doubt he would always write like that." She shrugged. "I was gonna run this by Grissom."

"Good, he'd want to see that."

Sara straightened about to leave but Catherine held her elbow,

"Um, Sara?"

"Yeah?"

"He cares about you, you know."

"Maybe" she replied sadly.

"No." Catherine moved her hand to Sara's shoulder, "I saw it, Sara. In his eyes, he loves you."

Sara backed out of Catherine's hold, shaking her head.

"Don't so this. I heard him, he might but… I can't, not right now. I can't take it." she felt tears welling up.

Catherine nodded.

"Sorry. I just wanted you to know. He- he's too stubborn to admit that sort of thing."

Sara lowered her head and left. She couldn't listen anymore. She was actually feeling the violation in full now and hearing Catherine talk about how Grissom loved her…she couldn't hear that when she over heard him confess that he wouldn't give up his career for her.

She ducked into an empty lab and stomped her feet in frustration. Her life was being ripped apart. She re-entered the hallway and wiped away the tears that escaped.

-----------------------------------------

Jim Brass was standing between Grissom's desk and Sara as she approached the office. The detective turned to Sara, gave her a sympathetic smile and held out two bright shiny new keys.

"It's all yours."

She accepted them with a small smile. He nodded and continued his report.

"We've cleaned out all the guy's equipment. I sent it to Warrick to print and Archie'll tear it apart to se if he can track it down to an individual."

Grissom nodded his approval.

"Thanks Jim."

Sara used this time to hold out her notebook,

"I broke the code." She placed the pages down on Grissom's desk, letting him and Brass read it over before continuing. "I think this guy writes like this on purpose. Not just to stumble us. I was wondering if you knew anything about it."

Grissom closed his eyes for a moment, seemingly in deep thought.

"No." he answered finally.

Brass shuffled his feet for a moment then returned his attention back to Sara.

"I'll have my cell on all night if you need anything."

Sara gave him an appreciative nod and was about to thank him when Grissom cut her off.

"No need. She'll be staying with me."

Sara almost got whiplash turning her head to gape at him. Brass did the same. He could tell by the look on her face that this decision did not take place before hand.

"I was not aware of this." She said voicing Brass' original thought.

"That's because I just thought of it. Jim just finished cleaning up after this guy, do you want your stalker coming back?" Grissom asked.

"He could if I'm not there." She said looking to Brass to back her up but he just shook his head signalling that he wanted nothing to do with their argument.

"No. this guy will be too busy trying to find you and when he does, and when he sees you with me he'll get angry." Grissom held up the photo of Sara and her date and the first note to prove his point. "And when they get angry they mess up."

"Grissom, this is crazy. There will be surveillance on my house. That's enough. And I've got my gun." She patted her 9mm in its holster on her hip.

"I'm not giving you the opportunity to take someone's life. I'll send Catherine and Warrick over to your house to get your things for the night. This discussion is over."

She knew there was no changing his mind by his tone of voice. She snatched up her note book and with one final glare she left. Her mind was a torrent of thoughts so when she reached the break room she was in full rant.

"It's not the guy that's gonna drive me nuts, it's that man. I don't need him at my side, this guy's been stalking me for months? Well that's fine. He wasn't bothering me. Pictures is all…he's like a paparazzi. Celebrities deal with them all the time. I can deal with this. I'm fine!" she finished and turned around to see Catherine standing behind her.

"I can see that. And you certainly sound fine too."

"What do you want?" she snapped.

Catherine held up her hands in a defensive posture.

"Finished your pictures. Nothing but the partial, Warrick's running it through AFIS. Grissom asked me to get your keys."

Enraged Sara flung them at her and lucky for Catherine she was quick or the keys would have hit her in the face.

"So you agree with him then?" Sara spat shaking her head.

Catherine shrugged as she pocketed the keys.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"If he's doing it to piss off the guy then, yes but if this is about him playing your protector; no."

Catherine's answer calmed Sara a bit but she was still facing the horrible prospect of staying at Grissom's place…and for how long?

"Fine. My pajamas are in the left side of my dresser. Don't worry about tomorrow; I've got a change of clothes in my locker." She watched as Catherine left, her mind began to wander. She thought about Grissom playing her protector then her mind went to any and all the time she was going to be spending alone with him. She shook her head and wished it all away.

TBC…

Up next, Sara in Grissom's home...


	7. Chapter 7

Thnak you to all the reviewed. Wow, it's great to hear what people think. It makes my life just that much brighter, and cures me of my anxiety about posting this story for the world to see. So please, even if you've reviewed before keep them coming!

Thanks to Tessa, I'm sorry my own private english is really confusing...or at least that's how I'll explain any strange sentences. lol.

All mistakes from this point now are mine.

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The drive to Grissom's was in silence only until he turned on the radio. Sara wondered if this was his way of avoiding an argument or just to fill the silence with anything.

She knew from past times what to expect from Grissom's bachelor pad and it wasn't the unfamiliarity that was putting her at unease but that for the better part of two years they hadn't been the friends they used to be. She could clearly remember the expression on Nick's face when she had given Grissom back a shirt he left at her place. The shirt had been from when Grissom's washing machine broke down and had to come over to use hers.

She was sure at the present time he would never come over to do laundry, even if his machine was broken. Something had become strained between them. She couldn't explain how or why but she knew when it had happened; she had asked him to dinner and he said no. And there were so many things that happened after.

Most importantly though was the semi-confession he had while talking to a suspect. He hadn't known that she was behind the one-way glass but she was and it was devastating to hear him talk like that.

Sara stopped just inside his apartment with her bag in hand. She hadn't intended on pausing but she couldn't help noticing that nothing had changed since the last time she was there. She felt Grissom watching her and tried to smile at him but it didn't work.

"Here, I'll take your bag." He offered reaching for her bag.

She let him take it from her hands then followed him into the guest room. He set the bag on the bed.

"If you need anything let me know. I'll be in the shower so help yourself to anything in the kitchen." He left after she nodded.

She watched him leave and waited until she heard the bathroom door close before going to the kitchen. She found the makings for coffee and set it up. She went back to the guest room and retrieved her file from her bag then returned to the kitchen.

All of the photos from her date and outings were placed across the counter then the note at the end. She studied them and listened to make sure Grissom was still taking a shower before taking out the new photos of her and placing them below the others.

The coffee done, she made a mug and sipped it while her eyes settled on her doing intimate things. The first picture was of her in a towel just after a shower. The second was of her sleeping, third; her changing, half naked in a bra and panties and fourth and most risqué was of her in the shower. She was turned away from the camera showing the nape of her neck, spine and the curve of her right breast and buttocks.

The last photo held her attention the longest and it was the one that unnerved her the most.

Holding her mug in both hands she decided that she was grateful that Grissom made her come here. After seeing her nakedness in picture form she didn't really want to be in her apartment despite the fact that the cameras were gone. She didn't know what else that sick-o could have done in there.

Another thought occurred to her as Grissom emerged from the bathroom. As he came into the kitchen she scooped up the second set of photos and put them back into the folder they came from.

"Uh, C-could I borrow your bathrobe and washing machine?"

Grissom cocked his head to the side at the request but nodded heading into his room to retrieve his bathrobe. She took the robe and went into the bathroom, changed into the robe then came out. She gathered her things from the spare room and went into the laundry room and threw all her clothes in the washing machine.

She padded out into the kitchen barefoot and found Grissom at the counter looking over the pictures she left out. His gaze was settled on Sara's date and suddenly she felt she had to explain.

"I didn't initiate that. He-he kissed me. I didn't really want to but he leaned…"

He looked up and he could see that she was embarrassed. He wanted to tell her that she didn't need to tell him anything. He did want to know about it and her little admission eased him a bit but it didn't ebb the jealousy away completely.

He didn't say anything, he couldn't think about anything else than that she looked really good in his bathrobe…and nothing else.

Sara bowed her lead at the close scrutiny. She wasn't sure of his line of thoughts and thought the stare was about her date.

"I'm gonna take a shower."

Her voice brought him back to the present but only long enough for him to nod before dazing again as she turned and walked away from him.

TBC…

It's a short chapter but I felt it was a good one.

Up next...Grissom's alone with the pictures...


	8. Chapter 8

I was planning on only posting one chapter a day but the last one was short, and so is this one. Also my beta was fast on getting back to me, so here you go...

Thanks Tessa.

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Grissom helped himself to the coffee that Sara had left over and went back to the pictures. He took in each one again, then glanced at the note. He remembered vaguely what the note had said and reached for the folder with the intent on getting Sara's notes on the numbers.

He opened the file and saw a picture he hadn't seen before; a grainy colour picture of Sara asleep. He picked it up to get a better look but his attention went to Sara in a towel, her hair wet and in curls clinging to her neck and shoulders. He wondered about the other pictures and slid that one across the counter and saw Sara changing. He frowned then moved that one over and he got a very up close and personal look at Sara naked.

His anger flared. No wonder she was shaken up after seeing those photos. And since the pictures were screen caps from the tapes of her, he could only imagine what else the stalker was privy to.

He found the notebook and re-read the messages:

_'I've been watching you for a while now. You are perfection but I'm not liking what I'm seeing._'

Grissom gathered that the guy was talking about Sara's date. This guy was obviously jealous and he would only become more enraged by Sara being with Grissom.

He looked at the second note:

_'So beautiful, so perfect._'

Grissom had to agree. He couldn't help his eyes falling on the picture of Sara in the shower, he couldn't stop thinking that she looked like that right now in his own shower.

"Stop it!" he said aloud to himself. "She's being stalked and all you can think of is her naked in the shower?" he was angry with himself now.

Flustered, he finished his coffee, made a new one and re-filled Sara's. By the time he turned around, Sara had returned to the kitchen.

The picture of Sara in the shower came flooding back into his mind, her wet hair reflecting the photo. A desire he hadn't felt in along time welled up, his eyes scanned her and settled on her eyes. He saw anger and embarrassment there in her doe eyes.

"I didn't want you to see those." She couldn't hold his gaze.

"I-I'm sorry. I was looking for your notes on the numbers."

Not looking at him she shrugged and crossed her arms in a defensive posture. She suddenly felt as naked as she was in the picture before her. She reached for the file and pulled out her notes wondering if she would even be able to look him in the eye again.

"I'm gonna wait in my room for my clothes." She said and walked away.

She sounded so dejected, that he wanted to stop her and hold her in his arms until it all went away but he knew she was mortified that he had seen her naked.

"Damn!" he swore under his breath when she had gone.

He glanced at the clock and thought he should make breakfast…or brunch. He found tomatoes and a cucumber, made a jug of orange juice and toasted some bread. He prided himself that he remembered that Sara was a vegetarian. Not the he dared to forget after that raw hamburger incident. He was in the process of slicing the cucumber when Sara re-entered the kitchen still in his bathrobe.

"What's this?" she asked noticing her photos were collected and neatly out of the way.

Grissom gestured to the breakfast ingredients.

"'Cucumber unaccountably cucumbering'."

"Charlie Brown?" she asked with a hint of a smile on her face.

"Nope. Zen proverb. It means doing what normally what would have been done." The toaster popped behind him. "Hungry?"

Sara bit her bottom lip and nodded.

"Toasted tomato sandwiches and cucumber?" he asked wondering if she even like tomatoes.

"That would be great." She smiled and sat down on the bar stool across the counter form him.

They ate in silence. When they finished she glanced at the clock.

"We should get some rest before work."

Grissom nodded and cleaned up.

TBC…

I really liked that Zen proverb and it fit here so well that I couldn't resist. And it is a Zen proverb too, I had one of those daily message calenders and the cucumbering was my favourite.

Next, back to work and another note...


	9. Chapter 9

Okay, so from here on out there will be clifhangers and blood. This is where the rating comes from, oh and all that swearing from before...

Tessa is awsome! We're working with differenttimezonesand she's still quick on getting back to me.

Keep reviewing, I want to know how I'm doing.

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Grissom was right behind Sara when the receptionist told her she had a package. She gave Grissom a knowing expression and put on gloves before accepting it. They went right for an unoccupied lab with the package. He stopped her before she ripped it open.

"We need to process that. I'll go get my kit and check on the others before we get started."

She nodded and sat down in a chair to wait. She watched him leave then turned her attention to the thick package. It was smaller in length and height than the last two but it was wider.

Her name was proudly exclaimed across the top the same as before. A sense of dread washed over her as she thought about its contents. The stalker had been in her home and taped her…who knows what pictures he had sent to her now.

She made up her mind and picked up the package. She went to the break room and saw all her co-workers, except Greg, through the glass wall. She knew they'd been talking about before she came in because they had fallen silent and the air changed.

"Hey, girl. How're you doin'?" Warrick asked trying to ease some of the tension.

She smiled at him and it even reached her eyes.

"I'm fine. How's the coffee?" she didn't wait for the answer before going over to the counter.

"Uh, Greg made it so it should be primo." Nick answered giving the others questioning glances. Warrick and Catherine just shrugged.

Sara could see their reflections in the glass and bowed her head; she turned to them and sighed.

"Please don't do that. I don't want you to feel sorry for me or feel that you have to act like I might go off the deep end. I'm fine. We'll find the guy and this will all be over." She paused seeing their ashamed faces. "If you want to help me; pretend like nothings wrong." She took her coffee mug and her package and left without telling Grissom what she originally came into the break room to tell him.

Catherine opened her mouth to speak but Grissom cut her off.

"Sara's right, don't bother Catherine." He said holding up his hand, "Just do as she says. You have your assignments."

He found her in a rarely used layout room; she had gathered the necessities to process her mail.

"I thought you were waiting for me." He said as Sara picked up a pair of scissors to cut off the sealed opening.

"Changed my mind. Whatever is in here is personal and I'd feel better if I was the only one laying eyes on it." she paused just short of cutting open the envelope. "I'll page you if I need you." She finished with a softer tone.

"I'll be in my office."

Sara watched him leave and felt guilty because he actually looked disappointed. She cut open the envelope to preserve any evidence in the flap and set it aside while she dumped out the contents of her package.

A piece of paper fell out covered in numbers and a VHS tape clattered on the tabletop. She tried not to rush things by grabbing the tape and rushing to Archie's lab. So methodically she picked the tape up and set it aside then went about dusting in inside of the envelope for prints knowing the plastic interior would hold prints better than the outside.

She smiled triumphantly as she pulled a juicy print off the plastic, her heart racing because she knew the print was good enough to get at least seven common markers when they found the guy.

Continuing she dusted the tape just in case but found nothing. In her notebook she wrote down the numbers and began to translate them:

_I MUST SAY I'M SURPRISED I DIDN'T KNOW U AND UR BOS(2) WERE TOGETHER. DOES HE KNOW UR SE(2)ING OTHER PEOPLE? DOESN'T MAT(2)ER U WIL(2) SE(2) THAT IM BET(2)ER FOR U_.

A cold shiver passed though her as she read the finished note. Mentally she shook herself and gathered the note and tape went to the QD lab and sent the note through ESDA to see what else was on the paper. It looked like another journal entry.

She was about to work it out when Greg came in.

"Hey, Sara. Word around here's you got a secret admirer."

'Way to be tactful Greg-o' she thought. "Stalker, Greg. Big difference. Is there anything I can do for you?" she could hear the annoyance in her voice.

Greg shied a bit.

"I was just wondering how you were holding up."

"I'm fine Greg."

"Okay." He paused. "I'm there for you if you need me." He shuffled on the spot obviously uncomfortable and nervous voicing his feelings.

She held his gaze and her icy interior melted. She knew it wasn't his fault and he wasn't there when she berated everyone else.

"Thanks Greg. I appreciate that." She nodded. He tapped the doorframe with a fist and disappeared down the hall with the biggest smiled she's ever seen on him. She smiled and shook her head at his goofiness while turning the numbers into letters:

_I WATCHED HER COME OUT OF THE BUILDING. SHE LOOKED SO SAD. I WANTED TO GO TO HER, TO HOLD HER BUT HER BOSS WAS THERE.  
I TRACKED DOWN SARA'S DATE. HE WASN'T VERY HELPFUL. HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HER BUT I STILL THINK HE CAN HELP ME GET HER.  
YES SARA, MY LOVE. YOU WILL BE MINE._

With that done she felt she needed to take a break and gathered up the note, envelope and tape. She couldn't shake the eerie feeling she had after reading the passages as she walked down the hall to the break room.

She came around a corner and connected with one of the lab rats that she didn't recognise, knocking her down. It surprised her and she screamed. He tried to help her up but she swatted his hands away, closing her eyes overwhelmed with fear.

TBC…

Up next Sara calls Rick...


	10. Chapter 10

Tessa rocks!

I don't havea lot of timeto say much, I have to get to work so...next chapter should be posted tomorrow...

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Grissom was in his office when he heard Sara's frightened screams. He jumped up from his chair and rushed to find her.  
She was on the floor her hands up protecting herself from the stranger in the lab coat. The young man was completely surprised and unsure of what to do.

"I-I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." He explained to Grissom.

"It's okay. I've got her." He shooed the lab rat away.

Her eyes were closed tightly and her hands still batted away the stranger that wasn't still there. He tried to calm her but she wasn't listening. He reached out taking her in an iron grip,

"Sara, honey. It's okay, open your eyes." He said in a soothing tone and felt her relax slightly under his touch. She opened her eyes, fear reflected in them and tears rushed over her cheeks.

Grissom pulled her closer, almost on his lap cradling her while she cried. He waited, making soothing sounds and smoothing her hair when she calmed. She pulled back, wiping the tears away.

"I'm sorry." She said noticing the wet spot on his shirt.

"It's fine. Are you okay?" he asked helping her stand and organise her things.

"Yes." she pressed her lips together, angry with herself. "He surprised me. I don't know, I freaked, I guess. God, he must think I'm a nutcase." She shook her head.

Grissom smiled.

"Probably."

Sara gave him a dirty look but smiled. He looked at all the papers and baggies in his hands.

"What have you got here?"

Sara glanced around, then satisfied that no one seemed to have seen her breakdown directed Grissom to the break room and set it all down on the table in front of him.

"This is the new note." She pointed to the original note along with the new, copied journal entry. "Translation is in my book. And I have a finger print that was on the inside of the envelope." She handed over the unfolded envelope. "I was just going to take a break before looking at the tape."

Grissom nodded reading the note. He understood why she suddenly broke.

"He thinks your date will help him get you? Have you talked to…um…?"

"Rick." She finished. "No. I didn't have the chance. Hold on." She pulled her cell phone out and dialled the number for her voice mail.

Grissom waited and re-read the notes.

"It's working." He said under his breath.

Sara hung up.

"No messages." She noticed Grissom wasn't listening then remembered what he said. "Wait. What's working"  
"Hm?" he looked up. "Oh, he's jealous. It's working. I told you if he gets angry he will mess up; the finger print." He explained.

"I'm gonna look for Rick's number. It should be in my purse. I'll call him and ask about some guy asking about me."

"It's a lead." He agreed.

"I'll be right back."

Sara rushed to the locker room, grabbed her purse and went to the break room. Grissom was there holding out a mug of coffee. He sat down while Sara went through her bag and produced a napkin with a seven digit number on it.

She dialled his number and waited until she was connected.

"Leave a message if you get an answering machine." He said watching her.

Sara nodded and was picked up by voice mail.

"This is Rick. Leave it after the beep."

"Uh, yeah. Rick, hey it's Sara. Um, well call me when you get this." She hung up and gave Grissom a questioning expression. "Why did I leave a message?"

"To get him to call you back. Do you know where he lives?" he asked over the rim of his cup.

She wondered if there was a hidden meaning within that question.

"No. Well, yeah but I've never been there."

"I think we should go visit Rick."

"Uh, no." Sara shook her head.

"Why?"

"Because I'm not taking you to Rick's place. God, it would be like taking my dad along on a date." Grissom gave her a strange look. "I don't mean you're like my father. Can you understand what I mean?"

"Yes, I get it. I meant more like investigating. Go there and ask him about your stalker."

Sara blushed realising how off she was, making her feel like a fool.

"Right. Well, he's not home right now so how about tomorrow during the day?"

"Sounds good."

They fell into silence as they finished their coffees. She glanced at the tape on the table.

"I'm going to watch that now." She felt the air around Grissom change. She didn't know how to explain the change or what happened exactly, just suddenly she felt differently.

"Are you sure?" he asked in a low serious tone.

"yeah." She stood up and reached out for his hand and he placed it in hers. "Thank you. I still have your pager number." She squeezed his hand and smiled.

TBC…

up next, what's on the tape and Catherine plays mail delivery girl...

So, still loving it? Starting to hate it? Tell me...please


	11. Chapter 11

On with the story...

* * *

Archie understood entirely when Sara asked him to take a break. He gave her the sympathetic look that people whose dogs died get and she just cocked her head to the side and nodded.

She set up and closed the door. She held her breath and pushed play.

A grainy picture appeared on the monitor before her. She couldn't figure out the image until she subject moved and she realised she was looking at herself asleep in her room. She exhaled but the tension didn't leave her. The video Sara rolled over and current Sara noticed that she wasn't wearing anything under the sheets.

She pushed fast forward and went through a whole 'night' of her sleeping then the tape stopped, flashed and turned into another grainy picture. It was of the other night when she went home with Grissom. The view closed in on her face. Remembering that night and the note she realised she did appear to be sad but she recalled feeling bitter about the situation.

She sighed and felt relieved that the content of the tape wasn't too risqué. The tape ended completely and ejected. She pulled it out, placed it in an evidence bag and went to Grissom's office.

Her boss was hunched over his desk just behind a mountain of paperwork.

"Nothing; it's all the same 'I'm watching you' stuff." She said setting the tape down on one of the smaller piles on his desk.

"So it's more psychological intimidation." He said, taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Checked your messages? Did Rick call back?"

She was confused for a moment then pulled out her cell without asking. A few seconds later she answered his question.

"There are no new messages." She mimicked the voice on the phone.

Grissom leaned back in his chair, flipping his glasses in his fingers against the paperwork in front of him. He considered the case silently.

"Have you run the print yet?"

"Oh, no." she turned and walked away.

Catherine found Sara at a computer, green finger prints flashing one by one across the screen.

"Hey, Catherine. What's up?" she watched Catherine come in with a 6" by 6" by 6" box in her hands and sit down.

"Well, after this morning's talk, I figured that I should bring this to you instead of pussy footing around and give it to Grissom." She handed over the box and Sara accepted it.

"What is it?" she asked setting it on the table next to the monitor.

Catherine shrugged.

"I don't know, it was on your cars hood. I knew it was from him so I though I'd bring it up to you before shift ended." She watched Sara for any sign of feeling and wasn't sure if she was okay with Sara being so collected.

"Okay. Um, I was just running a print. Did you need the computer?"

"No, I just felt like playing mail girl. Print huh?" Catherine asked hopeful there might be a break and all this crazy shit can come to an end.

"Yeah, came from the inside of the third message." She sighed and turned back to the computer screen.

"Third? So this makes four." The older woman said glancing at the box Sara had set on the computer table.

"Yeah. And Grissom had me calling my date from the other night." Seeing Catherine's confused expression she explained. "Oh, uh, off the note, I got another journal entry. Apparently my stalker was talking to Rick so Grissom wants me to leave messages to get him to call me back." She finished but it didn't clear things up for Catherine.

"Sure, well I'm going, see you later." Catherine said getting up and patting Sara on the shoulder.

Sara gave a quick smile and wave but didn't look up. She picked the box up in her hands and flipped it over. She shook it and it didn't sound like another tape. She considered what it could contain when the computer beeped telling her there were no matches in the database.

Groaning she stood up and brought her new mail to Grissom's office. He looked up when she came in and waited for her to speak.

"Nothing on the print, I'm not really surprised." She flopped down in the visitor chair across from him. "Catherine brought this to me." She set the box on the desk. "I still have to give Greg the flap from the last envelope; I was hoping to get DNA." She gestured to the box. "I just thought you should know about this."

"Thank you." He replied. He met her eyes across the desk, examining her as she sat there in the chair. "How are you feeling?" he asked after a full minute of silence.

Sara thought about her answer and decided on complete honesty.

"Scared, annoyed, frustrated, confused and angry." Her brow furrowed and she spoke. "Embarrassed. God, I don't know what. Damn it, Grissom, I don't know what I feel." She slumped lower in the chair crossing her arms across her chest.

"That's good enough." He stood and began clearing off his desk. "Run that envelope to Greg and if you like we can process this together." He nodded towards the box.

"Sure." She nodded and left.

She found Greg in the locker room. He was listening to music from a radio in his locker and singing along loudly, and terribly.

"What are you waiting for…You stupid H-."

"Greg!" she said before he could finish the line.

Surprised he hit the power and grinned foolishly.

"Hey, hot stuff. What can I do you for?" he waggled his eye brows.

"I'm trying to keep this on the down low, I was wondering if you would get me some DNA from this." She held out the bag containing the cut off envelope tab.

He flipped it over in his hands, fished a glove out of his tweed jacket pocket and took the flap out. He pulled at the area where it was sealed then stopped when it started to come loose.

"Sorry, Beautiful. But this is the sticky kind, no licking necessary. No licking…"

"…no, DNA. Shit!" she finished and sighed in frustration. "Thanks anyway Greg." She said as he handed her back the evidence.

TBC…

Up next, what's in the box?


	12. Chapter 12

Here's the next part, sorry about the wait, and unfortunetly the next chapter will be a while too...

Tessa's my hero, she has way more on her plate than I do.

Oh and the locations are made up, I don't think 405 Ruckland is an actual place...I'm using myPoetic Licence...

* * *

"I'm beginning to think this guy is a lot smarter than we thought. The envelopes are the kind with adhesive already on; you don't have to lick them." Sara explained as she flopped down in a chair while Grissom finished with setting up his desk to process the box. "I hope this guy screws up soon, for fuc…"

"It's ready. Here." He set the box down on the middle of the table.

"…k sake."

The desk was completely cleared and he had print dust waiting along with his own smaller version of the ESDA machine. She turned her attention to the box as Grissom carefully cut it open with a fresh box cutter.

She leaned forward when he pulled out a small piece if paper. He handed it to her and she promptly interpreted it. After all the other notes she practically memorised the numbers to letters.

"_'THIS IS FOR TOUCHING YOU. I…COULD TELL YOU DIDN'T LIKE IT…YOU WONT LIKE YOUR…BOSS' TOUCH EITHER WHEN YOU LEARN WHAT I CAN DO FOR YOU'_."

She glanced at Grissom, giving him permission to open the rest of the box. She heard crinkling of plastic and got up to stand next to him. Carefully he took hold of the bag inside the box and lifted it out.

Sara inhaled sharply when she saw what it was inside the plastic. Grissom set his jaw as he removed the plastic from the severed hand. He could tell by the wet blood and colour of the flesh that the hand was still fresh.

"Jesus Christ!" she swore bringing her hands up to her mouth in shock.

"Do you know whose hand this is?" Grissom asked.

Tears welled up in her eyes, she shook her head but said yes.

"It's Rick's hand. It makes sense, the picture of me and Rick; his hands were on my arms." Her voice started to rise with each word, "He's got Rick, if this guy doesn't get what he wants, he'll kill Rick."

"He wants you." Grissom said levelly.

"I know but what am I supposed to do?" she gestured wildly with her hands, "Rick could die if we don't give my stalker what he wants!"

"We'll send Brass to Rick's place. Catherine, Warrick and Nick can process. They'll find him and the stalker." He kept calm but it only angered Sara more.

"I'm sorry but I can't just shut off my emotions, I don't really even like Rick but I can't sit still knowing he might die! This may not bother you but it bothers me!" she yelled.

Grissom shook his head, both of his hands went up to hold Sara's head still and effectively stopped her motions, making her look deep into his eyes.

"Don't think this isn't bothering me. If for one second you think I don't care about an innocent man, care about what this is doing to you, you need to hey your head checked." He paused, lowering his voice, "I won't put your life in danger. I lo- care about you too much." He reddened a bit at his slip up.

She whimpered, tears spilling down her face. She felt helpless, her body was sick with the emotion.

"I understand but…"

"I won't allow you to give yourself over to this guy." He pleaded with his eyes; his hands fell to her shoulders still holding her. "I'm sending the team. They'll find them both."

Sara twisted out of his grasp.

"But not before Rick dies. If this sick-o isn't taking proper care, Rick will die." She started pacing.

"And what do you think he's going to do to you?" he asked. She could see his frustration.

"I don't know but I'm the only one that can stop him."

"No you're not." His voice held all the authority he could muster and she stopped pacing not saying a word. He picked up his phone and speed dialled Brass's number. "Jim, lead in the stalker case." He handed over the handset to Sara. "Tell him where Rick lives."

"He lives in the 'burbs, 405 Ruckland. No, not the stalker but his victim. Catherine, Warrick and Nick will meet you there. You're looking for signs of the stalker." She handed back the phone.

"The date from the other night." Grissom continued. "The stalker sent Sara her date's hand." There was a long pause then Grissom hung up. He dialled Catherine's pager and told her to call him and waited. The phone ran. "Catherine, new lead. Meet Brass at 405 Ruckland, he'll fill you in…Call me at home. She'll be there too." He hung up.

Sara gave him a death glare, pointed a finger at him and opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

"I don't want to hear a word. Pack your things, we're leaving."

TBC…

Up next, back at Grissom's...


	13. Chapter 13

Ack! Sorry about the wait. Hopefully it's worth it...

thanks to Tessa!

* * *

Sara sat down on the couch, her eyes followed Grissom as he paced and gave orders over the phone.

"Greg, take the hand to Doc Robbins. Get the results and help Catherine with the evidence when she gets back... Tell her to call me." He listened for a moment. "I will. Bye, Greg."

She raised her eyebrows expecting Grissom to explain but he didn't say anything. She shook her head, her anger bubbling up to the surface. After two full minutes of silence, while Grissom worked things out in his head, she stood up quickly. Her movements brought him out of his head.

"Where are you going?" he asked his brow furrowing in confusion.

"To my room!" She snapped and stormed away.

She flopped on the bed, tears of frustration free falling down her cheeks. She couldn't hold them back even if she wanted to. Her whole body shook with silent sobs. She was angry with Grissom for taking her away from the lab, for taking her away from anything that gave her a feeling of purpose.

What she was doing now felt like sitting on her hands. She didn't know what else to do but sit on the guest bed in the guest room where she felt like a prisoner. She stretched out, laying her head on her pillow. She stared up at the ceiling, visions of Rick sitting in a chair, crying and bleeding, washed over the white surface like a projector.

She cried out and rolled onto her side, curling her legs up and tucking her hands under her cheek. Her tears rolled down her nose and dripped, slowly absorbing into the sheets. She tried to sleep but every time she closed her eyes she saw Rick's smiling face but it would overlap with the hand in the box and her eyes would pop open again.

Giving up, Sara cried until nothing came out anymore and finally fell into a dreamless sleep.

Grissom sighed when he heard her fall silent. He knew she had been crying he could hear the heart wrenching sobs through the walls. He could tell now that she was sleeping and hated that he was the reason she was crying. That wasn't what he had intended, all he wanted to do was protect her, keep her safe from harm.

This thought caused him mental pause, she didn't need him to protect her. She needed him to understand her and help her. He opened the door; his gaze fell on her slumbering form. He was going to wake her but he couldn't. He didn't want to. He knew if he did, he would never see her like that again. She was so innocent in that moment and beautiful.

He watched the rise and fall of her torso as she breathed. He saw the quick movements of her eyes under her eyelids. Her mouth was soft and her lips were parted slightly. He was mesmerized by her beauty and understood how the stalker could be so caught up in her.

He loved her and he almost told her earlier.

A wave of anger washed over him. He wanted to get this stalker, to stop her suffering. He backed up and closed the door. He picked up his phone and dialled.

Catherine picked up after one ring,

"Willows."

"Cath, it's Grissom." He spoke quietly so he didn't disturb Sara.

"How is she?" her voice was filled with concern.

"Sleeping. Did you get anything form Rick's place?" he looked to the door separating him from Sara.

"Well, the kidnapping happened there. The hand severing happened somewhere else. Nick printed everything, he's comparing those prints with the half ten card from Rick's hand, to eliminate his prints from the stalker's."

"What about fibres? DNA?"

"What good will that do? I mean, we don't have a suspect to compare it to."

"I know. I've talked about it with Sara." Catherine could hear the fatigue in his voice.

"What does she want to do?"

"Go out and find the guy."

"Act as bait."

Grissom nodded and Catherine knew it even though she couldn't see it. He sighed.

"What do we know about the stalker?" he asked glancing around his apartment but not seeing any of it.

"Besides that he's crazy and in love with Sara?" she asked.

"Besides that." He conceded.

"Greg thinks the numbers is a sort of OCD. It's possible that this guy had a sort of obsessive compulsive disorder that makes him think in numbers instead of letters."

"I've never heard of an OCD becoming violent like that."

"He might have gone off his meds and it's affecting his thinking." She suggested.

"Are we tracking this down?"

"Yeah, Greg is."

"What's Warrick doing?"

"Comparing the unknown prints from Sara's place to the ones from Rick's. We'll nail this guy when we find him."

"Good job. Call me if anything pans out." He hung up without saying good-bye and found himself seated on the couch. He leaned back and closed his eyes.

TBC…

Up next Sara wakes up...and there's a confession...


	14. Chapter 14

Again thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys rock!

so here is your reward.

Tessa is awsome!

* * *

Sara woke feeling numb and wandered out of her room. She tiptoed into the living room and found Grissom asleep on the couch. Her mind held no thought and she felt no anger as she moved to stand in front of him.

Silently she sat down next to him, curled her legs up under her and leaned her head on his shoulder. Her eyes fluttered shut as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close.

He woke up half an hour later, he was confused by the warmth next to him until he opened his eyes and saw Sara tucked neatly at his side. He wondered when she moved there and then wondered why. He forgot about it and relished in the feel of her heat and soft weight.

With his free hand he traced the outline of her face. He knew he wouldn't normally be so bold but this case, the situation made him do it. Besides any chance he could touch her without gloves he was going for.

His eyes narrowed when he saw Sara's mouth twitch. He smiled when he thought she might talk in her sleep. She moaned, not the soft pleasant kind but a more strangled fear induced sound.

A nightmare, he thought, he was about to wake her but the phone rang. He tried to pick it up before she woke but he was one ring too late. She corrected herself on the couch, she reddened slightly and she lowered her head avoiding his eyes as he answered the phone.

"Grissom."

"Gil, it's Catherine." The familiar voice said through the phone.

"What have you got?" he asked.

"Another box for Sara. He left it on the doorstep. Thought I'd call and tell you."

"The note; what does it say?"

At those words Sara raised her head. He knew he now had her full attention.

"Warrick's just opening the box now." Grissom heard the pop of broken tape, the crinkle of plastic and Catherine's sharp intake of air. He heard Warrick say 'here' as he handed Catherine the note.

"What is it?" he asked impatiently.

"It's the other hand. God." There was a long pause. "This guy is crazy."

"I know. The note, Cath. Read the note." He stood up and found a pen in a mug on the corner on the counter in the kitchen, he glanced around to find a piece of paper and Sara handed him her note book. She listened in as Grissom waited.

"It's just numbers. I don't know what it says." Catherine said.

"Give me the numbers. Sara can translate." He didn't want Sara to get this note; he didn't want her to know about the second hand, he didn't want her to suffer anymore. Catherine read the numbers and Grissom wrote them down.

Sara assigned the letter to the numbers and when they were finished she read it back so Catherine could hear what it said.

"'YOU NEVER LEAVE WORK EARLY SARA, WAS IT MY GIFT? ARE YOU ANGRY? IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH, I KNOW SO HERE'S THE OTHER. FORGIVE ME.'" She crumpled her translation when she realise what 'the other' was.

Catherine whistled and Grissom sighed.

"Any leads on the OCD?" he watched Sara's shoulders slump.

"Nick's out with Brass. There are about nine doctors that deal with OCD's; we're hoping one of those docs treated our guy."

He nodded.

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, three of the six unknown prints match from Rick to Sara's place. Definitely our guy's prints. No hits on AFIS though…"

"Okay…"

"I'll call you back when Warrick and I finish processing Sara's mail and or when Nick calls me back." She hung up.

He turned to Sara. She didn't wait for him to elaborate on his conversation with Catherine. She held up the crumpled paper in her clenched hand.

"I hate this Grissom! Rick did nothing to deserve this." She didn't know where the new tears came from; she thought she cried them all out before. "If he's still alive, we're not moving fast enough. Why won't you let me go?" she sobbed hard, the shuddering bringing her to her knees. "This is all my fault." She sounded so broken.

He came around the counter and knelt down, his arms outstretched and he felt his own tears. He vaguely remembered the last time he cried, a long time ago, he was sure it had to do with his mother. As he looked at Sara, he was glad she was the only other person that could make him cry.

"I can't let you go because…because I can't lose you, because," he steadied his voice, cleared his throat, "Because I love you." He spoke those words into the crown of her head.

She looked him in the eyes, hurt and confusion clear in her eyes. He said them again.

"I love you."

Sara closed her eyes tightly, squeezing out what felt like tones of warm salty tears. She shook her head and opened her eyes. The air stung but his hurt expression hurt more. "Am I too late?" he asked, terrified.

She shook her head again and she watched years melt off of Grissom's face. She couldn't find the words to voice the joy, anger and frustration she was feeling at that moment. She backed up as he moved closer.

"Don't." she spoke, her words were harsh and cutting to Grissom and he frowned. "You will let an innocent man die because you love me?"

"Yes. I don't care about anything else. I brought you here out of purely selfish reasons. I'm sorry if it hurts you because I love you too much to let you put yourself in danger."

She stood up and turned away from him as he still kneeled on the floor. She couldn't look at him with his baby blue eyes pleading with her. She needed to think, she needed to get away from him. She bolted so fast that Grissom didn't have the chance to think before the door slammed closed behind her.

TBC…

Up next...Where did Sara go?


	15. Chapter 15

Here's hoping this works this time around.

I'm so stoked that everyone likes my story. Even the Snickers and anyone who thought stalker stories are too contrived, I'm one of them(that's where this story came form) I really don't like the idea that Sara would just go soft and hide at Grissom's while he confessed his undying love...wait I did that...but it's not tacky...right?

Tessa works too hard and I love that she keeps telling what she thinks after fixing my mistakes. You're beautiful.

* * *

"I just finished talking with a Doctor Montgomery. He doesn't a record for a male with OCD involving numbers in that style. He did give us a lecture though." Nick said into the phone as Catherine moved through the building to meet up with Warrick. "He says in some cases the patients don't take or like their prescriptions, like Prozac, Paxil, or Zoloft. So instead they self medicate with heroine, morphine and methadone. It works the same only like any addictive drug; money trouble. Oh and Doctor Montgomery says Sara must have done something to the stalkers routine to piss him off."

"She went on a date. Remember the first note came then. Is that really enough?"

"I guess so. You know Sara, you could set your watch by her. She'd be an OCD's ideal mate." Catherine nodded her head and turned the corner to the morgue.

"Okay, where are you on your field trip?" she asked Nick as she ran into Warrick, she held up a finger to signal for him to wait. She eyed the report in his hand.

"One more doc to go. I'm crossing my fingers that this doc has the file on our guy."

"Okay. See you later."

"Later." She snapped her cell shut and gave Warrick a tired look. "I thought Greg had the hand?"

"He had to run with something else for his own case, felt bad that he couldn't help." He held out the report. "The hand was severed peri-mortem. Rick's still alive but not for long according to Doc Robbins."

"Shit!" she swore loudly.

Warrick silently agreed with the sentiment and followed her to the break room.

"What did Nick have to say?" he asked.

Catherine relayed the information Nick told her and how so far they were moving backwards instead of forward. "Sara must be beside herself." She said after a few moments of silence.

"She's tough, besides Griss is with her." Warrick assured her shrugging, he gestured to the coffee machine. Catherine nodded and gave him a doubtful look.

"Have you learned nothing? Grissom to Sara's emotions is like water to oil. She might just as well be talking to a bust of Grissom." He thought about that and decided she was right, "And." Catherine continued. "Imagine the guilt of knowing something you did caused an innocent man to have his hands hacked off."

"But she couldn't have known that was gonna happen. And they weren't hacked off, it was a clean cut with an axe."

"Whatever. Anyway, no not the first time but the second?" a humourless smile reached her lips, "I pity Grissom right now, having to deal with Sara when she probably wants to kill him."

Warrick chuckled.

"Yeah, picture Grissom huddled in the corner while Sara goes at him with a butcher knife."

Catherine tried not to choke on her coffee.

"Naw, I don't think Sara has the balls to go off on Grissom."

"No, huh?" Warrick asked, his blue eyes gleaming. "I hear she almost took a suspects head off."

Catherine raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"When was that?"

"Shelton case a few years ago. Right when she became a vegetarian."

"Oh, wasn't that when Grissom did that Linear Regression with his bugs to prove that the vic had been dead for five days?"

"Yeah, only the bugs said three days. They watched a pig rot to show it was really five days." He corrected.

Catherine bobbed her head remembering the past.

"Those were better days for them. I wonder what happened."

Warrick wondered that too.

"Yeah, Griss' used to be fun. Now he's kind of dead. Emotionless, like something died inside him."

Catherine figured if she had to take a guess as to when Grissom had changed it would be around the time of the Debbie Marlin case. Her thoughts were interrupted by the present Grissom rushing towards them with a slight bit of terror mixed with anger on his face.

"Is she here?" he asked, his voice tinged with fear.

"What?" Catherine asked. The sight of an askew Grissom was sending her common sense through a loop.

"Sara, is she here? After the note she left. I thought she might come here. I searched the streets on the way here but nothing…" he explained.

"She's not here." Catherine answered.

"Did you check Rick's place?" Warrick asked.

Grissom shook his head.

Catherine wasted no time and dialled Brass.

"Jim, Sara took off. Send someone over to Rick's place."

"Will do. Have you checked her place?" Brass asked.

"No, but we will."

"Do it."

Catherine turned to Grissom.

"Check Sara's house."

"Why would she go there?" Warrick asked looking for an answer from the other two.

"Because." Grissom started. "That's where her stalker wants her to be."

TBC…

Up next... Sara waits...

As for the title, yes it's Bare Feet. I think I should have made it longer and gone with Bare Feet and Socks. It'll be explained in chapter 17.


	16. Chapter 16

I'm hoping that posting chapter 16 will make 15 show up...don't knows what's going on.

Thanks to Tessa.

Translations will be at the end. They're numbered.

* * *

Sara glanced down the dawn lit streets by her house. She wasn't sure what she was thinking coming down here. She cursed herself for leaving so abruptly, without her keys, cell phone or shoes. Her bare feet were cold and throbbing from running. She was also cursing herself for leaving Grissom in such an emotional state especially after his confession.

She was still mad at him. She couldn't believe that he would be so selfish. God, Rick might be, probably is bleeding to death. She feared he might already be dead.

She feared her stalker wasn't going to show up. She glanced around again and this time there was some one walking towards her. He wasn't anyone she knew but she had a feeling that she'd seen him a million times before.

He looked like any stranger; nice clothes but rumpled with ware, sandy blonde hair, expensive skate shoes, approximately twenty-five to thirty years old.

"Eight, nine Nineteen, one, eighteen, one."(1) He spoke in numbers. He didn't look as though he was in complete control of his self. He looked sort of like a patient in an insane asylum talking about a theory that involved aliens.

"Hello." She greeted back. Her voice was hoarse from crying and running. "Where's Rick?"

He fidgeted slightly.

"If you want to make me happy, tell me where he is."

"Thirteen, twenty-five sixteen, twelve, one, three, five."(2)

"Where is that? Where do you live?" she could tell by his eyes that he was coming down from a high. She didn't want to trust him but she didn't feel she had a choice. "Take me to him." She said.

Sara kept up with him despite her chilled feet. She knew she wouldn't have far to go and she was extremely grateful.  
They past the corner grocery store where she bought her milk, as they went down the road and the park where she would end up after a run. She remembered him then, the smile in the journal entry, took place in this park. She bent down to tie her shoe and he was sitting on the bench four feet from her. He smiled first and she returned it to be polite.

He started up the steps to a little white house and Sara wished she had her cell. Inside was impeccable like an old fashioned 50's era home. Nothing was out of place, even the afghan on the back of the couch was squared up. She followed him through the living room into the kitchen. She noted the rotary phone on the wall next to the door to the basement where they headed.

She listened to anything, any sign that Rick was still alive. Her heart was pounding as they descended down the steps. She saw the plastic on the floor before she saw Rick tied to a chair. He was unconscious .Both arms were bandaged. His blood was seeping through and dripping on the floor around him. His boyish face was ashen and she held back a sob thinking she was too late.

"We have to get him to a hospital." Her voice wavered.

"Fourteen, fifteen."(3)

Sara's bottom lip and chin began to quiver.

"You aren't making me very happy. How can I love you if you show no compassion for this guy? He didn't do anything to you."

"Eight, five twenty, fifteen, twenty-one, three, eight, five, four twenty-one."(4)

"Yes he did. He touched me, but I let him." She tried to reason.

"twenty-one four, nine, four, fourteen, twenty twelve, nine, eleven, five nine, twenty."(5)

"No, I didn't want him to but he doesn't deserve to die." She tried not to sound pleading. She needed to keep control but with each drip of blood on the plastic she knew she was losing it. A lump of panic hit her hard, almost choking her. She stole a glance from Rick to her stalker then up the stairs behind her. She made a split second decision and bolted for the stairs. She got half way up when he pulled her back down. She kicked him but he dodged her foot, pulled her up on her feet and struggled to hold her in his arms.

"Four, fifteen, fourteen, twenty…"(6) he began.

She struggled to get away; using any technique she could but he over powered her.

"Stop!" she yelled. Her voice frightened him and he pushed her away. Her ankle rolled, she fell sideways and hit her head on the cement wall.

Dizzy she tried to stand but her ankle wouldn't hold. Her head pounded and she reached up and gingerly touched her head where it made contact with the wall and felt the warm sticky wetness of blood. Her vision was blurred when she looked up at her now captor.

He was moving frantically about the room, mumbling incoherently. He shook his head; this wasn't how he planned it. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. He stopped and glared down at her.

"Twenty-one twenty-three, five, eight, five nineteen, twenty-one, sixteen, sixteen, fifteen, nineteen, five, four twelve, fifteen, twenty-two, five thirteen, five!"(7)

Through her mottled mind she somehow made sense of his words.

"How could I love you? I could never love some one that could do that!" she flung her hand in the direction of Rick's lifeless body.

Her words enraged him; spittle flew from his mouth as he yelled.

"Twenty-one twenty-three, nine, twelve, twelve!"(8)

"No!" she yelled.

TBC…

Up next, Catherine and Grissom talk...

1: Hi Sara

2: My place

3: No

4: He touched you

5: You didn't like it.

6: Don't

7: You were supposed to love me.

8: You will.

A/N: I recieved a note from a reader explaining to me that OCD is an anxiety disorder. I know, I'm OCD when it come to my socks. Though I don't need medication. I've done research on the subject and no, it doesn't get this bad (that I could find). My stalker is based on a character from a movie called CAMP; Vlad. he does take medicationbecause if he doesn't he goes all numbers. he then adds them up backwards then devides...it's pretty confussing so I simplified it, a lot.

All of the information about the medications is true as well as the illigal drugs. People can and do use heroine, morphine and methadone. I'm not making this up.

I hope that clears things up so I'm not offending anyone.


	17. Chapter 17

We are arriving at the end of my tale, just one more to go after this.

Thanks again to my beta, who's dying ot know how it ends.

* * *

Catherine caught up with Grissom just before he drove away. She jumped into the passenger side and buckled up. She glanced at him long enough to see he was grinding his teeth. She was sure if the Denali wasn't making noise she could hear his teeth grinding together.

"So, Sara ducked out when you were in the bathroom?" she asked making small talk…

"No." he didn't look at her. He pretended he was paying full attention to driving.

"Club you over the head?" she prompted him to elaborate.

"We were talking and she ran out." He said through his clenched teeth, his answer was abrupt.

"About the note?" she asked needling.

"Yes and no."

"About Rick?" she guessed.

"Mostly." He answered.

Catherine watched his jaw clench and unclench and she had the answer.

"You told her why she couldn't be bait."

He turned his head to look at her. If he wasn't so angry, scared, hurt and embarrassed he'd be proud of her investigative skills. Then he frowned; if she could figure that out from six or seven words, what else did she know?

Catherine knew from his surprised expression and sudden frown that she was right.

"You told her you love her?" she tried not to smile but she found it difficult. He furrowed his brow, not looking at her.

"This is no time to make fun of me. Sara is in danger!"

Catherine held up her hands in a defensive manner.

"I'm not. I'm happy you finally confessed but," she paused trying to hold herself together. "Couldn't you have picked a better time?" she couldn't hold back her laughter anymore. "It's not funny, I know."

Grissom shook his head, and the corners of his mouth began to curl.

"I thought if she knew, she would stay." He chuckled.

"Needle that broke the camel's back. All those emotion at once; no wonder she ran. I would have."

As they turned the corner to the block Sara lived on Grissom laughed.

"I just don't get women." His laughter subsided when he parked the car on the curb outside her house. "Damn!" he slammed the steering wheel with his hands.

"Maybe she's inside." Catherine suggested.

Grissom shook his head and produced Sara's keys from his pocket.

"Shit!"

He sighed and lowered his head.

Catherine wracked her brain for any comforting words but she found herself struggling to stay positive. Turned out she didn't have to; her cell went off.

"Willows." She said into the phone.

"His name is Darwin Johnson. He lives two blocks from Sara." Nick's voice made her heart pound, he continued giving her an address and she gave it to Grissom. He spun the wheel so hard they were forced left in their seats.

The sun was coming up when they parked in front the little white house. Grissom leaped out of the car and started up the walk way.

Catherine grabbed him and stopped him before he reached the stairs to the door.

"We can't just go in there. We have no idea what we'll find." She tried to reason but she might as well not have bothered as they heard Sara's desperate scream.

"NO!"

Nothing could have held back Grissom. He rushed into the house with Catherine close on his heals.

She pulled out her gun as she entered, Grissom went through the living room and she moved to go up the stairs to the second floor, but he stopped her pointing to his ear signalling for her to listen.

Voices could be hear in the kitchen, they couldn't make out what the lower voices were saying but Sara was loud and clear.

"You can't let him die!"

Grissom waited by the door. Catherine lowered her weapon. He wondered how he was going to get down stairs without putting Sara in more danger.

"Don't touch me!" Sara yelled.

Catherine shrugged.

"I don't think she'd yell at him if he was armed."

Grissom agreed but he still motioned for her to go first with her gun.

"Sara, we're here!" she called down.

Sara heard Catherine's voice before the older woman appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

Darwin turned around, away from Sara on the floor, she took a chance and with her good foot she kicked him in the back of his knee dropping him to the ground. She moved fast enough to grab his arm and twisted it up behind his back. He yelped and struggled but his movements only made it hurt more.

When Grissom reached the bottom of the stairs he locked eyes with Sara. She shot a look to Rick in his chair and Grissom knew what to do. He pulled out his cell and called an ambulance.

A few seconds later they heard Brass's voice followed by heavy foot steps on the floor above.

"Vegas PD!"

"Down here!" Catherine called; her hold on her gun didn't waver.

Sara let go of Darwin and shimmied backwards away from him. She stopped when her back hit the wall. For the first time in two and a half days she didn't feel any pressure. Her hands went up to her face, then smoothed her hair behind her ears and began to laugh.

Brass came down, his gun drawn until he saw Catherine with her gun, re-holstered his firearm and cuffed Darwin. Catherine put on gloves then checked Rick for vitals.

This all happened in seconds but to Grissom was eternity. His eyes moved around the room, from new comer Nick to a laughing Sara huddled in the corner. He saw the cut and bruised flesh above her left eye. His gaze went from her bent elbows to her knees to her bare feet and ended on her swollen ankle.

He forgot everyone else in the room and walked over to Sara and knelt in front of her. Her laughter died down to a soft giggle.

"Sara, honey, you're hurt. Let me help you." He carefully touched her foot and he pulled back like it burned. "They're freezing. Come on lets get you warmed up."

She stopped giggling and looked to Rick.

"I want to make sure he's okay first."

"Sure. The ambulance will be here any seconds." He learned from his mistakes and didn't get in the way. He took her hand and helped her stand. She was standing awkward on her foot and held tight to Grissom.

The paramedics arrived with a stretcher and tended to Rick. One of the boys noticed Sara's head and began to make a fuss, she just batted him away.

"Jesus, that man could die and you're worried about a flesh wound. Get the fuck out of my face." She yelled and he shied away in time to help his buddies lift Rick up the stairs. "I'm going with him." She said whether or not anyone was listening.

Grissom didn't argue but he did stop her.

"Wait!" he slipped off his shoes and pulled off his socks. He handed them over to her. "Put these on before you get sick."

She didn't think about it or what it meant as she did what he said then wobbled up the stairs.

TBC…

up next the conclusion...and what's with the socks?


	18. End?

And we're at the end. Don't forget to tell me what you think.

my never ending thanks goes to Tessa, the only beta I've ever stuck with for a whole story.

translations will be at the end...numbered like last time.

* * *

Grissom watched Darwin through the one-way glass.

Darwin was alone in the interrogation room talking to himself.

"Twenty, eight, one, twenty twenty-three, one, nineteen, fourteen, twenty eighteen, nine, seven, eight, twenty."(1) Grissom could only guess what the boy was saying; he wasn't really listening anyway.

Brass entered the integration room with Catherine behind him and sat down across from Darwin while she stayed standing.

"Do you know why you're here?" the detective asked.

"Six, fifteen, eighteen Nineteen, one, eighteen, one."(2) Darwin answered. He didn't meet Brass's gaze, he didn't seem to be looking at anything that was in the room. His eyes were glassed over like he was in deep thought.

Brass shook him head, not understanding what the kid was saying.

"Okay, never mind. Do you understand me? Nod if you do."

Darwin nodded, glancing at Brass but not focusing on him.

"Good, Catherine would like to take your finger prints. Will you let her?"

The young man bobbed his head.

Grissom glanced towards the door to the observation room, and smiled when Sara came in and stood next to him.

"How's Rick?"

"Stabilised. They had to give him a blood transfusion. He was conscious when I left." She paused looking through the glass and saw Darwin entirely different than anyone else saw him. He may have appeared mild mannered to any passer-by, but all she saw was a monster. "Rick didn't want to see me." She lowered her head, "He didn't want my apology."

Grissom took her shoulders into his hands,

"None of this was your fault. He will heal physically and mentally. And when he does he'll see that it wasn't your doing and he'll forgive you because he'll see that there was nothing you could have done."

She shook her head, she didn't think she could forgive herself for the loss of Rick's hands, God knows how she could think Rick would forgive her.

She glanced down at her feet and remembered Grissom's socks. She wiggled her toes and smiled.

"Thank you."

He looked down at her feet too, his socks were way too big for her feet and he tried not to comment on how not so white they were now.

"A wise person once said 'A good friend will give you the shirt off their back, but a great friend will give you the socks off their feet.'" He smiled when she laughed.

She turned serious after a minute and bit her bottom lip.

"Uh, what you said earlier before I, uh ran out…" she paused unsure of how she wanted to word her question so not to confuse him, or cause any more disappointment. After the Debbie Marlin case and now with the whole stalker fiasco she didn't think she could handle any more disappointment.

"I shouldn't have said that." He interjected shaking his head.

"Oh." She felt her stomach drop and left an empty feeling in her chest. Being rejected once hurt; the second time was just numbing.

He saw the little colour that was left in her face vanish and the glistening of unshed tears in her doe eyes.

"No." he made her look at him. "That's not what I meant. Catherine gave me a little insight and she told me that it wasn't the right time. I'm sorry."

She gave him a questioning expression, not really understanding what he was trying to say. He took her hands in his.

"But if now is a good time, I'll say it again."

Sara couldn't form words; her vocal chords were temporarily stilled so she nodded.

"Sara, I love you. And I couldn't stand to lose you." He searched her face as the unshed tears spilled down her cheeks.

Going with her first instinct she threw her arms around his neck and pulled him to her.

"It's always a good time to tell me you love me." She whispered into his neck. She pulled back and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry about before, it was too much. It was too many emotions at once; good and bad and I didn't know what to do. But it's okay now."

Grissom glanced through the glass at Darwin and then back to Sara.

"Yes it is." He touched her cheek with his hand, slid his hand around to the nape for her neck and pulled her mouth to his in a hard, passionate and promising kiss.

THE END.

1: That wasn't right.

2: For Sara.

I've been told I'm evil by a friend, and Tessa thinks this isn't the end. I wouldn't know what to say after this point, any hints?


End file.
